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Taking Stock: Opportunities for Electoral Improvements in the Dominican Republic
IFES supported the Dominican Republic's Central Electoral Board to identify reform priorities following the 2021 electoral process.
June 30, 2021
Publication
Report/Paper
Lithuania: Money and Politics Case Study
Lithuania has rapidly developed both politically and economically since emerging from the Soviet Union in 1991. While the country has built a functioning parliamentary system of government, has become a member of NATO, and is on the verge of joining the European Union, it still faces many problems associated with the many consolidating democracies around the world. As in all democracies, populations need to trust that those they elect will represent their interests. Problems such as corruption, weaknesses in laws concerning the political financing, and unaccounted for political income and expenditures threaten the credibility of the process and hinder the speed at which democracy is consolidated. Additionally, Lithuania lacks the high level of vibrant debate about the issue of political financing among scholars, journalists and civil society bodies required to promote meaningful reform. Recognizing this, Lithuania has developed an independent Central Electoral Committee (CEC) and adopted laws requiring detailed and public disclosure of political finance accounts. Prior to conducting Money and Politics programming in Lithuania, the CEC had made a demonstrable interest in making information public. While scanning summary report of accounts and placing them on the internet, the user could not search, not easily compare and analyze the information. Interested parties were required to make an appointment to view more detailed, paper-based information. Further, while the Tax Authorities are required to audit final political party reports, enforcement is widely considered to be weak. Few, if any, cases of political finance violations have been forwarded and investigated, not to mention prosecuted. By addressing the difficult issues surrounding political finance with the support of IFES in 2002 and 2003, Lithuania is emerging as a model for other consolidating democracy to follow. Significant areas remain to be addressed. While Lithuania has taken concrete steps to reform political finance legislation, open political finance information to public scrutiny and oversight, and encourage debate, further efforts are required to actively enforce laws and regulations and raise the level of debate among the various governmental, legislative, and civil society groups. By addressing these areas, Lithuania has the potential for being an example of best practices while making local expertise and resources to other countries undergoing similar reforms.
December 31, 2002
Election Material
Civic Education Material
Participacion Ciudadana: Newlsetter Oct 1998
““Citizen Participation”: Newsletter October 1998” is an informative periodical, available in Spanish, issued in October of 1998 by the “Citizen Participation” movement in the Dominican Republic. The periodical contains articles on the Dominican political culture, the civil society and its presence in the political scenery and an analysis about the main obstacles that slows down the process of modernization of the Dominican political system.
Election Material
Civic Education Material
Participacion Ciudadana: Newlsetter April 1998
“Citizen Participation”: Newsletter April 1998”is an informative periodical, available in Spanish, issued in April of 1998 by the “Citizen Participation” movement in the Dominican Republic. The periodical contains various articles on recent activities and future plans of “Citizen Participation,” a non-partisan civic movement organization.